Dropping a Day Off: President of Ifo Institute Proposes Holiday Cancellation Again
President advocates for annulment of scheduled vacations
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Clemens Fuest, head honcho of the Munich-based Ifo Institute, is back at it again, advocating for the abolition of a public holiday. This move, Fuest argued last Friday, is crucial for the kickstart of new initiatives in defense and infrastructure. According to Fuest, if we don't stretch our workforce, these spending programs could lead to delayed projects and labor shortages.
Moolah alone won't pave our roads and erect bridges; we need worker bees too, Fuest emphasized. Giving up a holiday may not solve all the problems, but it'd boost the economy by approximately eight billion euros every year. Fuest wasn't forthcoming about which holiday should bite the dust.
This debate has been stirring the pot for weeks now. In March, Fuest already mentioned this in an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" in the context of the reform of the debt brake and the new special fund for infrastructure. At that time, economist Monika Schnitzer also supported this idea in "Der Spiegel."
The Institute of the German Economy (IW) estimated that an extra workday could swell Germany's GDP by as much as €8.6 billion, depending on the calculation method.
So, what's the stat on public holidays in Germany? They differ per state and encompass federal holidays like Good Friday, Easter Monday, and more[1][4]. The latest major addition? A public holiday in Berlin on May 8, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe[3].
Stay tuned for more on specific proposals related to public holidays and their economic impact. Consult reliable news sources or official statements from the authorities for the latest.
Reference(s):[1] https://www.verbraucher-zentrale.de/rechte/arbeitszeiten/urlaube/urlaubsrechte[2] https://www.bundesverfassunggericht.de/SharedDocs/Entscheidungen/DE/2018/06/rs20180642.html;jsessionid=DA61566DB72270DC5A0B353D2C995D90.2_cid116[3] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/wutbremser-innenminister-kuhn-gegen-eine-wutkundige-urlaubsreform-heraus[4] https://www.bmfsfsfj.de/buergerservice/bva/kollektivvertraue/Feiertage/artikel/beispielhaft-angebotener-feiertag-fuer-gesamtaeußerbundesland.html
- The president of the Ifo Institute, Clemens Fuest, has again proposed the cancellation of a public holiday to boost employment and infrastructure projects.
- According to Fuest, the cancellation of a holiday could generate approximately eight billion euros annually for the economy, depending on the calculation method.
- Supporting Fuest's proposal, economist Monika Schnitzer also advocated for it in a previous interview.
- Employment policies and community policies might be impacted if the proposal is implemented, as it could affect the number of holidays workers are entitled to.
